Deciphering King Abdullah’s words on Saudi oil | Beyond Brics | FT.com

There are times when deciphering the meaning of a statement or comments by an official in the Gulf can be a tricky business.

And a statement put out on the official Saudi Press Agency quoting King Abdullah was a case in point. It had the kingdom’s ruler saying he had ordered the world’s top oil producer to halt oil exploration operations to protect the country’s hydrocarbons wealth for future generations.

It quoted him as saying the order had been made at a cabinet meeting and, unsurprisingly, the SPA statement was picked up by news wires and internet sites.